A pioneering education report completed by a Dorset charity has found that young carers face significant barriers within the education system.
The report by MYTIME Young Carers reveals that young people in care roles are "overlooked and overburdened."
Key findings show that young carers between the ages of 11-16 are more than twice as likely to be suspended from school and are twice as likely to be persistently absent compared to their peers without a caring responsibility.
Commenting on the report, Krista Cartlidge, CEO of MYTIME Young Carers, said: "The findings of this study raise serious concerns about the educational experiences and outcomes for young people who have a caring responsibility and highlight the urgent actions that must be taken to address these concerns."
The research examines data collected from over 10,000 young people attending schools that engage with the MYTIME Level Up (schools) programme, revealing stark differences in the educational outcomes and experiences of young carers.
Krista added: “Schools need to be provided with the right training and tools to both identify young carers and support them adequately. Without urgent action, we risk failing generations of children who care for their families and amplifying the inequalities they already face – effectively punishing children for caring.”
In light of these findings, MYTIME Young Carers has outlined several urgent recommendations for the Department for Education, Ofsted, and the wider government.
Among the recommendations is government funding for schools to train a Young Carer Champion in every school, costing the government £29 million annually.
This would ensure that schools can develop a Young Carer Strategy to identify carers, provide support, and implement holistic, solution-focused approaches to improving young carers' wellbeing, attendance, behaviour, and academic attainment.
Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said: “The report published by MYTIME, which uncovers the educational challenges young carers face, makes me deeply concerned.
"It underscores the need for a systematic approach to identify and support young carers within our education system so they can balance their responsibilities as a young carer with their education effectively.
“It is vital that we commit to ensuring that all young people, regardless of their circumstances, have access to a quality education, and I welcome the recommendations in this report for exploring funding avenues to implement training programmes across schools both locally and nationally.”
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